Sunday..

I spent Sunday in Ashland Wisconsin. I was out by 5am and at the shore of Lake Superior hoping for some clouds and color.

 

No luck. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, crystal clear with a sliver of orange along the horizon.

 

 

 

I walked along the shore looking for any kind of interesting foreground element and tried to do something with these trees.

 

 

It was 25 degrees and the wind picked up from the north. I was getting cold and decided to drive down the road and see if I could do anything with some old dock pilings.

 

 

I wanted to shoot from water level but the waves were about a foot high now and splashed off the rocks getting me and the camera wet every time I tried. I got cold and frustrated and this was the best I could do.

 

 

The sun made it above the horizon and there were small pockets of steam on the water for just a few seconds.

 

 

Since I wasn't having much success there I drove back near where I started and walked a trail so I could put the sun behind this biomass power plant.

 

 

I kept moving myself so I could get the angle and put the sun where I wanted it in the scene.

 

 

Then I was ready to drive to where I had seen some red foxes the day before. I saw one fox on the road when I got close, but I wasn't able to get any photos. after waiting about an hour and a half it was time to give up until the afternoon.

 

 

I saw two kits right when I got there in the evening, but they quickly ran to the den and didn't come back out. The only fox phot I made was this adult waiting on the side of a road to cross to its den. I waited for more than two hours until the area fell into shadows but the foxes never cooperated.

 

 

So I drove to the Ashland marina to try and make some sunset images. I used these dry docked sail boats as a foreground to the sky and clouds.

 

 

As the sun dropped below the horizon it was cold and the wind hadn't died down.

 

 

I stayed until the color mostly disappeared.

 

 

Then headed back to get the pictures off the camera and onto the computer and then start editing and deleting. Nothing really came easy, but all and all it was a pretty good day.







 



Finally a fox...

I had been hoping for red fox photos for a while now, and today I got some.

 

I located this fox a few days ago but wasn't able to get any photos, so today I went back.

 

 

The fox was laying on the grass near a tree when I got there. I got a few quick shots before it got up and ran off.

 

I parked nearby, sat in the car with my windows open and waited. I planned to stay until the fox came back or the sun went down, whichever was first.

 

As I waited, two crows flew into the forest across the street and were calling non stop. I figured they could see the fox below them, though I couldn't. I was ready with my camera and looking in the crows direction.

 

 

It wasn't long before the fox came trotting out below the crows and right towards me. I made this image before the fox heard the shutter and jogged back to the forest edge.

 

It went about 30 yards before it stopped and layed down.

 







The sun was still out and I couldn't believe my luck.

 

 

The fox seemed tired, and closed its eyes to rest.

 

 

The crows landed near it and called some more. The fox opened its eyes but didn't seem bothered, so I started the car and moved a little closer.

 

 

The fox didn't mind and didn't get up, so I kept shooting.

 

 

 

I had a happy, tired red fox in good light. What a day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was thankful for the opportunity and the fox's cooperation, especially after it ran off in the beginning.

 

 

Ten minutes later shadows fell where the fox was lying and it was time for me to go. I headed to the Ashland marina for sunset.

 

 

I held out hope for dramatic skies and a colorful sunset when I got there.

 

 

I found a spot on some rocks near the shore of Lake Superior and waited for sunset. Other people were sitting against the breakwater and watching the sky. Two girls walked up, one set her phone on a very small tripod to film the sky and then sat down to wait.

 

 

Then the dramatic sunset never came. The sun went behind some clouds and below the horizon and the lights went out.

 

 

 

I put the camera in the bag and started walking towards the car. I stopped to pet someone's three year old black lab mix. The dog was friendly and seemed really happy with the attention. I was really happy with my night. A cooperative red fox and sunset on Lake Superior. Pretty good.